Chemring Group, a defense contractor, will invest $40 million to expand its Kilgore Flares operations in Toone, Hardeman County, Tennessee. The company plans to create approximately 100 jobs.

Kilgore Flares Company is a manufacturing company within Chemring Countermeasures USA, a division of Chemring Group and producer of defense countermeasures for the U.S. military.

The company plans to upgrade and expand operations in Toone over the next five years. The company will invest in new technology, processes and equipment.

Kilgore Flares plans to replace, refurbish and modernize buildings on its campus. Construction of a new flare extruder and assembly facility and other investments will triple Kilgore Flares’ current production capacity in Hardeman County. The first expansion phase will begin in the third quarter of 2018. Kilgore Flares anticipates the expansion will be completed in 2022.

“For decades, Chemring Group and its family of companies have been proudly supporting the war fighter,” Chemring Group CEO Michael Flowers said. “This project will transform the facility in Toone by expanding our capacity and promoting further growth opportunities. We are thankful for the support of our public partners and look forward to growing here in Tennessee.”

"I want to acknowledge the Kilgore family: our employees,” Tank Williams, President of Chemring Countermeasures USA, said. “The management team is immensely proud of their hard work and attention to safety as we manufacture our products that protect the war fighters of the United States and other countries."

“I’d like to thank Kilgore Flares and Chemring for creating additional job opportunities for the residents of Hardeman County,” Governor Bill Haslam said. “Kilgore Flares’ considerable investment in Toone underscores the confidence our existing employers have in Tennessee’s skilled workforce and overall business climate. This expansion is yet another sign that Tennessee will lead in attracting private investment and jobs to our rural communities.”

“For nearly 60 years, Kilgore Flares has been an important part of Hardeman County’s economy, providing hundreds of quality jobs for the residents of this community,” Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe said. “This expansion will push Kilgore Flares’ employment to about 375 people and promises to have a meaningful impact on the citizens of Hardeman County for many years to come.”